Measured: Local Service Ads, Dynamic Search Ads, and What Every Google Advertiser Needs to Know

If you run Google Ads, this fall is going to be different from any fall in the last decade. Google is rebuilding the platforms you have been using for years and giving you fixed deadlines to catch up.

In this episode of Measured, we break down the three changes moving through the system right now, what they mean for your business, and what to actually do about it.

Story one: Local Service Ads are moving into Google Ads. LSAs are the "Google Guaranteed" ads that home service businesses run. Plumbers, electricians, contractors, HVAC companies, and dozens of other service categories use them. Google announced this month that LSAs are moving into the main Google Ads interface. The migration begins in August 2026 and rolls out through 2027.

Story two: Dynamic Search Ads are migrating to AI Max. Google pushed the deadline from September 2026 to February 2027. Every DSA campaign still ends up on AI Max. Advertisers just have more runway.

Story three: New Search campaigns are already defaulting to AI Max. Alongside the DSA extension, Google made AI Max the default when creating new Search campaigns. Every business starting Google Ads for the first time is being handed a campaign with broad match, Smart Bidding, and Final URL Expansion turned on out of the gate.

Together these three changes point in one direction. Google is consolidating and automating your ad platforms. Whether you signed up for it or not, more of your ad spending is being controlled by Google's algorithms than a year ago.

In this episode:The Local Service Ads migration into Google Ads and what it changesThe Dynamic Search Ads to AI Max timeline and how to prepareWhy new Search campaigns are already defaulting to AI MaxWhat Final URL Expansion actually does to your campaignsWhat to do differently whether you run your own ads or work with an agency

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